What to Do When Your Bed Takes Up the Whole Damn Room

A minuscule budget plus a big, expensive city equals finding out the true meaning of a tiny bedroom: one that barely fits your bed—literally. Your mattress probably touches the walls on either end, and the idea of a dresser in there at the same time is laughable. This is not the time for tears, though; it's the time for creative thinking. The charming but space-challenged bedroom in this Swedish apartment, is chock-full of nifty design ideas that make the room not just livable but enjoyable. That's right, follow suit and you might actually want to spend quality time in what would elsewhere be considered a closet.

Toss the nightstand

This Swedish bedroom is probably bigger than yours, so don't think you're going to be able to fit a desk any time soon. Actually, we advise you get rid of furniture, stat. Your nightstand is a waste of space when you have a window in your room with a perfectly good sill for perching your phone, your latest read, and a glass of water.

Say no to table and floor lamps

We know, this is turning into a Marie Kondo expedition, but those light fixtures are only going to take up the tiny bit of floor space you do have. (You don't have a nightstand anymore anyways.) Instead, choose a sconce to hang on the wall above your bed, ideally one with a swinging arm that can be adjusted to direct light downwards (for reading) or into the rest of the room (for dance parties, etcetera). If you're partial to pendant lights, one of those would work too.

Give your bed a second job

Between the hours of midnight and 7 A.M., your mattress is for sleeping. The rest of the time, arrange the pillows against the wall so it becomes a makeshift daybed for lounging and working on your laptop. If you happen to have some room, a small-scale coffee table makes this setup even more convincing.

Plants are great, but don't even think about potting them

The more stuff you put on the floor—like, say, a potted fern—the more claustrophobic your bedroom is going to feel. So, to get greenery into your space, think vertically. Hang a planter on the wall or from the ceiling and fill it with low-maintenance air plants or succulents.

Go for decor that does double-duty

See that mirror in the left corner of the photo? Along the bottom is a cute little shelf, just wide enough for keys, sunglasses, and your wallet. It's basically a teeny-tiny console table for your bedroom. We like this minimalist design in particular.